What Lies In Empty Space
by smeehan98
Summary: After her early death at the hands of the Assassin named Daud, Empress Jessamine is trapped by the machinations of the mysterious Outsider to eternal purgatory in the Void, her soul carved between the empty realm and the one she left behind. But the Outsiders Chosen are a persistent bunch, and she's not been abandoned just yet. (Corvo/Jessamine...kinda - Corvo mute from Coldridge)
1. Keeping Things Interesting

**A.N: This is my first Dishonored Fic so I don't know how well it'll go. Depending on how it's received I may put more focus on it, but for now I'm considering it more an experimental side project for myself. Corvo mute from torture in Coldridge. Low chaos but not clean hands.**

**Please leave a review so I know how much time I should spend on this fic. It will be finished either way, but will move onto more major works quicker enough say it's bad.**

**What Lies in Empty Space**

The assassin came from nowhere, blinking into existence scant meters from Jessamine and her daughter. Before he even finished materialising, her protector leapt into action, blasting the masked man's chest apart with his pistol. The body flew back, but disappeared when it hit the wall of the gazebo.

Several more sprung from the shadows, forcing the Lord Protector back towards her, as he desperately drew his blade. The Empress had been shocked by the initial surprise of the attack, nut as Corvo darted past one's defences and raked the front of his chest open, she realised that the advantage was fading fast. Several more of the would-be killers, wearing what appeared to be old whaling masks, fell to the man's blade.

And then Corvo was lifted into the air, unnatural forces emitted from a straggler holding him in place. Another man, wearing no mask, teleported in front of the Empress. Emily screamed as the blade tore through her mother's stomach.

The Empress was on the ground in a pool of blood, and Corvo could only watch as the closest thing he'd ever had to a daughter was whisked away from him. By the time he reached her, Jessamine was almost gone. Mustering the last of her strength, she pulled him close, whispered her last request in his ear, and died in his arms. The last thing she saw was the armoured form of a guard standing over his shoulder.

0000000

She was in a strange place, neither particularly pleasant nor horrible. No, this place was just empty, or close enough. An infinite expanse of dull blue, interrupted only by bobbing oil-powered buoys. There was no sense of grounding here, as if she was suspended in the sky, or the ocean depths. The only indication of up was the gazebo she was still inside, suspended on the empty blue.

It was as if someone had created a perfect painting of a scene, or taken a single piece and time of the world and held it here, locked away forever. Corvo was still there, cradling her in his arms, and behind him she saw her spymaster, Hiram Burrows, alongside the High Overseer and a few watchmen. Two of them had drawn swords.

'So this is the afterlife then…' a shiver ran through her spine as she realised just how bleak an existence it was. And the scene she was forced to live in was not exactly comforting to look upon. She could remember her last moments vividly enough without being forced to remember every time she opened her eyes.

"Ahh, Jessamine Kaldwin" She turned abruptly to face the speaker, a young man, certainly younger than herself, who was no less than a meter away from her. Instinct kicked in, rather oddly for a dead person, and she practically tripped backing away. The man remained stationary, arms crossed and a decidedly indifferent look on his face. "You know, when you took power I hoped so very much that you would be different from your father. Leading Gristol through a golden age didn't make Euhorn any less…dull. He was a rather boring Emperor all things considered." She took offense at that, but managed to hold her tongue. Something was clearly wrong with the man. There was something about his eyes. Should they really be so…empty? Despite her efforts, it was clear that he saw right through her façade.

"Oh, do not be too offended Empress. You will find that there are few who have ever truly interested me. I am known by many names, but in your time I am simply called 'The Outsider'." There was a sharp intake of breath from Jessamine, but he continued on, oblivious or uncaring towards the fear and shock resonating within her. "While you may not interest me, there is indeed one you know who does. The man before us, Corvo Attano." The trickster deity clearly had more to say, but instead it opened its arms wide, as if inviting Jessamine forward "Find me further in." it said.

Without a trace, the man vanished. Jessamine felt a mixture of relief and worry. She was trapped in the void, the playground of the Outsider, but at the same time, he or it appeared indifferent towards her and her presence; certainly not as aggressive as the Abbey made it out to be.

Out of the fog, another island drifted towards her, sending dull tremors through the ground as it and the one she was standing on collided, forming an easy bridge across. Being careful to not look down the gap Jessamine hopped across. This island was different to the first. She saw Emily, one arm held high as she was dragged by… her killer… towards a two other men. They both looked identical, and it wasn't so surprising when she realised that they were the two Pendleton twins, who had been causing trouble in Parliament for some time now. Still, betrayal of this magnitude hurt, and she wondered just what she'd done to turn them away from her.

Reading her thoughts the Outsider spoke again "Perhaps you angered them with your attempts to reform taxation? Perhaps they discovered your plans to close down the mines they own? Or perhaps it was simply their nature… Ultimately, it matters little for you now, but very much so for her." The voice seemed to whisper from behind her, but looking back, there was no sign of the mysterious Outsider.

She carried onwards, crossing island after island, scene after scene, until she forgot how long she had been walking. The memories all began to blur, as more and more horrors that occurred in her absence were revealed. The Outsider showed her everything, from the betrayal of Burrows and Cambell, to the degeneration of the Watch, to the dark rituals of the insane Granny Rags. At last, she wandered onto one more island, little more than a glorified boulder. Yet it was here that, after what felt like days of still-frame atrocities playing out in front of her eyes, Jessamine finally collapsed. In front of her was a chair, and in it, Corvo Attano was slumped, dressed in rags, with blood pouring from open infected wounds. Looking over him, Cambell and Burrows scowled at some unseen point of interest.

On her knees, eyes forced to face the frame in front of her, the ex-empress of the Isles didn't see the black-eyed thing approach, knife in hand, until its cold blade plunged into her chest.

"I am so very sorry your Majesty, but things could be soo much more interesting this way."

**CH1 – Keeping Things Interesting**

"Did you think I'd fight you Corvo. Sorry to disappoint… this is yours." The old admiral gestured towards a small brass object, laid next to the fire on a corner-table. "The key to Emily's cell." Havelock gulped down the rest of his wine, almost reverently placing the crystal glass next to Pendleton's slumped corpse.

Behind his mask, Corvo's jaw almost dropped. After all the lies, all the treachery the admiral had wrought, he was just giving up? No that couldn't be right. He'd heard the man talking, just seconds before, from the shadows. A tiring monologue about how he'd proved anything was possible "if you were willing to get your hands dirty". But then, he'd also said something else. Havelock had no possible chance of defeating Corvo. That was something they'd both known since Corvo's survival and re-emergence from the Flooded District.

Hidden beneath his coat, her heart began to whisper, to softly for either of the men to acknowledge.

"You made quite an impression on her, did you know that? She asked about you, constantly. Where you were, what you'd been doing… I told her in the end. Told her everything." Havelock opened his arms wide, hands forming not quite fists or open palms, and revealing no concealed weapons as the masked assassin had feared. "And she listened, eyes wide. She's become an interesting girl, I'll give her that. So go ahead, kill me or drag me off to Coldridge Prison. Your choice, but she'll be watching."

The last three words froze Corvo in his tracks. He'd been reaching for his blade, seconds away from ending the traitor's life, when what the admiral had said finally lodged in his mind. _Emily…_ She was only ten years old, yet already the cruel twists of fate had led her to witness the deaths of both her mother and over a dozen men and women at the Hounds Pits. What if _his _decisions caused her to finally tip over the edge, as her last connection to a life before this madness taught her how easy it could be. Corvo may have accepted eternal purgatory in the void for his sins, but he'd be damned before the closest thing he had to a daughter suffered the same because of him!

The mark etched onto his hand glowed briefly and his pupils bled into piercing slits. The Dark Vision revealed her, cowering, or at a second glance listening, from behind the door just beyond Havelock. With great reluctance, and already knowing this would come to bite him later, Corvo lowered his hands to his sides. Snatching the key before any trickery could be performed, he all but charged past the disgraced admiral in his haste to reach his young charge, only taking the time for a swift right-hook to the gut. Certainly, the man was knocked to the ground at least, if still conscious.

At the door in moments, Corvo hastened to turn the key and release the girl trapped within. When the solid wooden barrier opened, he was nearly knocked over as the young Emily all but leapt into his chest, crying his name over and over again. A slight gasp of air escaped him from the impact, but in truth she was simply too slight in frame to do more than knock him off balance.

Emily was almost in tears, clutching tightly to her protector even as her body began to collapse under the emotional strain of the past days. While she'd mostly been removed from the atrocities committed at the Hounds, the young empress was clever enough to know she'd been betrayed yet again, and that the only man who truly cared for her had been removed; presumably killed, just like her mother scant months ago. While her heart may have hardened since the beginning of the ordeal, it was still far more than any child should face, and Emily had always tried to see the best in all things. Recent events had done much to crush her idealistic impressions of the world, and it would be… difficult to re-adjust.

And yet here he was, hidden behind his accursed mask yet here nonetheless. She was beginning to forget what he looked like under the metal contraption, her drawings of him slowly becoming more stylised as her young mind fought tooth-and-nail to remember every detail. He was stiff in her embrace for a second, still aware of the potential risks posed by Havelock's continuing state of health but, seeing the man gasping on the floor, he allowed himself just a second to return it tenfold, going as close as he dared to crushing the poor empress in his arms. After almost a year of torture, conspiracy and betrayal, he'd finally found her again, and this time, he would stay with her until he died or she commanded it.

"Cor… Corvo you're…kind of crushing me…" Almost reluctantly, he loosened the hug, allowing her to take a slight half-step back from him. He was wearing that scary mask again. The one Piero had made for him. She knew he wore it for a reason, but right now she really wanted to look at him properly, to be reminded of happier times, when all she worried about was the next lesson on etiquette or being forced to memorise each of the 7 scriptures. The times when he'd help her sneak away for from her more prim-and-proper tutors, helping her up onto the old tower she'd discovered years ago, but had been unable to climb for fear of falling into the river.

As much as that though, she naively held onto a small hope that removing the mask would bring some level of closure to the darkness that had swept up both their lives. In her childish mind, it symbolised everything that her bodyguard had been forced to endure for her sake, as he went about as a fugitive through the streets of death and pain that had seemed so distant before. The mask was an entirely different person to the one she knew so well.

Corvo was tempted to stay her hand. Piero's mask had been a boon throughout his affairs during recent months, providing enhanced vision, anonymity and protection on top of his already formidable skills and traits. But in truth, he too tired of it, and knowing Emily she'd just get upset if he refused, or order him to take it off anyway... More than likely both. After a few seconds fumbling with the straps, she finally succeeded in removing it.

As a Serkonan, Corvo should have had mildly tanned skin. Years spent in the colder, wetter climate of Gristol had done much to whiten its tone, but when Emily saw his face now she was still more than a little surprised. The mask had left his face virtually colourless, bleached by long hours hidden from the sun, and looking eerily spectral in nature. Despite this, she still leaned in again for another hug, generally feeling better about future prospects.

Back in the dining room, Havelock had managed to pull himself back to a standing position, and was dragging himself towards the two. Corvo recoiled like a snake, twisting out of the embrace to stand against the possible threat, placing himself firmly between the admiral and his charge. He tensed up even more as the admiral waved a pistol between them before settling his aim on Corvo's exposed face.

"Well this is all very touching but…" The hammer of the small firearm clicked as it was forced back "I'm afraid time for a family reunion's over. It's a shame though, no-one will ever know for sure if if you really were her father. The court does love it when a scandal's finally revealed after all…Goodbye Cor-" The Lord Protector raised his marked hand into the air.

Startled by the sudden move, Havelock closed his fingers on the trigger, but it was too late. Through dampened senses Corvo leapt forward, faster than any man could see by the naked eye. It could be argued for days whether his Bending of Time slowed the rest of the world or merely sped the assassin up to the degree that all else seemed sluggish or even inanimate in comparison. However it was done, Corvo was able to knock the bullet from the air, it having travelled just a few feet from the barrel of the gun it originated from. With time to spare, he was able to thoroughly enjoy beating the helpless traitor to a bloody pulp, breaking several bones and bruising skin purple and black before unconsciousness was a guarantee. Finally, just before the effects wore off, the bodyguard lifted his charge from the scene, and carried her back into her cell before she saw the terrible state he'd left the other man in.

Lady Emily leapt like a startled cat, having (to her own eyes at least) seemingly teleported back to her cell with zero reason or warning. It took her a few seconds to even make sense of where she was. "What? Where? Corvo?!" She called, not noticing the intended listener was just a couple of feet behind her.

He gently placed his hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. At first she resisted, not knowing of who had grabbed her, but she smiled in relief when she caught sight of him. One of her eyebrows rose slightly, and one of her hands went to her hip. "You know, next time you could just tell me it's you so…so i…" Both of those fell as she trailed off. She looked down at her feet, ashamed at having insulted her friend by forgetting his new 'condition'. The interrogations in Coldridge had been cruel to him indeed.

Realising the reason for his lady's discomfort, Corvo softly squeezed her shoulder, making sure she saw the expression on his face which he really hoped looked comforting. It was true, not being able to talk had proven a burden, particularly with the upper echelons of the Loyalist Conspiracy, but Corvo had never spoken much anyway, even while he still could. He could still do his job; if anything he could be even better at it now, nor having to worry about giving away state secrets and the like. The aristocrats tongues lied enough without him feeding them. Emily was sobbing, but she was still doing her best to blink away the tears. Corvo pulled her into another hug. The message was as clear as could be: 'It's_ okay, I won't tell. Let it all out.'_

It was a while before Emily stopped crying, and Corvo realised it had been the first time she'd cried properly since her recovery from the Golden cat, at least that he'd seen. The Outsider knows she'd kept it bottled up well.

He breathed a sigh of relief. In her bout of sadness, Emily completely forgot about the unholy power he'd unleashed.

It hadn't been easy sneaking onto Kingsparrow Island, and with a young girl in tow it would be even harder to sneak out again. She told him she'd just tell the guards the truth and then they'd let them go past, but Corvo shook his head. He suspected that those men downstairs were more loyal to the new Lord Regent than they were to the crown, and besides that, it was more than likely that the few he'd been forced to knock out on the way up had either woken up or been found by a passing patrol, so they'd all be on high alert. Chances were they'd just shoot Corvo on sight thinking he was abducting the girl.

So unfortunately they were forced to do things the hard way. The lighthouse was unfortunately too high to climb or blink down, so the elevator was the only option. Fortunately, Corvo had realised this earlier, so the watchman who'd been guarding the bottom was snoring loudly under a grate, with a green hypodermic dart in his neck. Emily was giddy with excitement as she stared out through the glass window. The closest thing Dunwall Tower had compared to the mechanical lift was the water-lock; an entirely different experience altogether.

Thankfully, most of the guards had taken to the Mess Hall for meals, so the path outwards was just about possible without Corvo being forced to reveal his new abilities.

_Damn. How do I tell her I'm marked by the most 'evil' being in existence?_

He'd have to work out an answer to that later. They'd reached the docks, but now Corvo realised that they had no easy way to leave. Samuel had left when he dropped the Protector off a few hours ago, and by now he was long gone. Obviously none of them had anticipated having to sneak out of the island, never mind with an Empress in tow. Luckily, there were a couple of rowboats on the side. Not nearly as fast as Corvo would like, but the only other way out looked like swimming through Hagfish infested waters. Emily was herself just getting in when she happened to glance over towards the newer dock to the left. It was made specifically for guard boats and was more recently added to the fort than the little concrete pier they were on.

"Corvo look." She whispered, pointing towards something in the water. Corvo had put his mask back on by now, and the enhanced optics in its construction let him get a much clearer look at what his charge was pointing out. A Gristol ironclad motor-boat. On his way in Corvo had already knocked out most of the guards at the dock, so reaching the boat seemed no difficult feat when compared to the countless sentries guarding the fort proper. One filled Whale-Oil Tank and they were off the island, and away to Dunwall Tower.

**A.N: Please remember to leave a review of this chapter before you go.**


	2. Journey to Clavering

**A.N: Wow, wasn't really expecting to get such positive feedback from a side project after just a few days. You guys really are good to me!**

**So thanks a lot for any reviews, favourites or follows this story's received from the last chapter. Specifically, I'd like to thank hansolo18, elizaCassan, vInEscape and Valerianus for your reviews and support. While I'm going to finish this if it kills me, it's nice to know that people out there actually enjoy the damn thing. And on that note, ANY reviews, including criticism's (but not flames :P) are welcome and appreciated. Criticism, suggestion, motivation…it's all good to have.**

**To Valerianus's query about the nature of Corvo's muteness, I always figured that since they only need Corvo to **_**sign**_** a confession, they'd have no reason to hold off on damaging his ability to speak, or even removing it entirely. In fact, Burrows would probably want to, seeing as Corvo was the only other person besides him, Emily and Daud who knew the truth behind the Empresses murder. In answer to your question, Corvo is pretty much completely mute. He may rasp a few words once in a blue moon, but it would be extremely painful and short. I'm thinking swallowing bleach with missing teeth style bad, or maybe being burned. It's up to the imagination really.**

**CH2- Journey to Clavering**

They'd run out of fuel about half-way to the tower. It had almost begun to look dicey that they'd make it back to shore without confrontation; river traffic had significantly dropped as the plague drew on and the Watch now made it a policy to stop and search most vessels still in use, looking for smuggled goods or just extorting the skippers with their 'tolls' for floating on their stretch of the river. Fortunately though, Corvo was able to pilot the boat onto a pier a couple of blocks away from the Hound Pits. Considering the events which had transpired in the last 48 hours, it was probably not the ideal place to hide out, but they weren't really in a position to be picky about it. They had no way to leave, and even if they could Emily was beginning to show signs of exhaustion. As Corvo had been mooring the boat her head had lolled to the side and she'd only just stifled the yawn that came with it.

The area they were in hadn't been cleared out by the guards, even during the massive operation at the Hounds Pit, so Corvo was particularly cautious. Taking advantage of Emily's less than alert state, he silently spoke the words of incantation that activated hiss Dark Vision. He'd often wondered how the words were still possible for him to speak before realising that only he heard them. They weren't necessarily spoken or thought, but a half-ways between the two.

The golden silhouette of several humanoid shapes, surrounded by tens of smaller rodent ones, proved his suspicions to be true. The block they were in was infested with rats and Weepers. There was no way they'd be able to stay here without at least one of them being chewed by the vermin or becoming afflicted themselves. His charge was in no shape to walk out of here though, so silently praying she was too exhausted to care, Corvo slung the young Empress over his shoulder, keeping her safe from the gnawing rodents at his feet at the very least. Corvo wasn't sure as to how susceptible he was to the plague anymore; over the course of the last few weeks he'd been bitten, clawed, bled and even vomited on by both the infected humans and the rats that killed them. As of yet though neither he nor those he'd interacted with had shown any symptoms of infection.

He only hoped the Outsider saw fit to spare Emily as well, but he had suspicions that the opposite was more likely. Without an Empress or candidate for Regent Dunwall would be thrown into even more chaos, and that was an atmosphere the black-eyed bastard would revel in. He…it may not have been inherently evil, but Corvo had realised from the moment it gave him her Heart, mangled by metal and circuitry, that morality meant nothing to it. The Outsider was a god, an immortal with no stake in the world mere humans inhabited. The only thing they offered to it was entertainment, as it looked upon their alien cultures and ideals, and meddled in the subtlest of ways to see what might happen. Corvo's powers had not been given so freely because the Outsider felt bad for any of them, but because without them Corvo had no chance of success. What good was a play if the audience already knew how it would end?

As he was thinking, Corvo remained alert to threats on both the streets and rooftops. While he'd be safer up there, the only way up was through infested houses, and Corvo wasn't willing to risk his now sleeping Empress by leaving her to clear one out. Blink wasn't an option either, as it was just possible that she'd wake from the sudden motion and realise what had happened. So unfortunately they were stuck on the ground. His dark vision warned him of any approaching Weepers though, so he'd managed to avoid incident so far.

It must have been about mid-night when he'd finally reached the destination he'd been searching for, an alley a few blocks from Clavering. Being careful so as not to wake Emily, Corvo lifted a wooden panel away from a fence, revealing a tight tunnel heading under the building in front of him. Back under Jessamines reign, Corvo had approved plans by the guard to build several safe-rooms around the city, mostly to protect VIP's. The Watch believed that they had a man checking each room still outside the quarantine zone, but the truth was there were several more Corvo had personally ordered, and had neglected to inform them about, just for this kind of situation. A few had deteriorated to uselessness before his imprisonment, but after his 'visit' to Dunwall Tower, specifically the one hidden behind the fireplace, Corvo had been reminded of their existence.

It was a difficult squeeze fitting a full grown man carrying a child through the tunnel, but incredibly he not only managed it, but also didn't wake Emily. The facilities on the other end were basic, but plenty for their purposes. A central hub, with fortifications and a trip alarm to aid defenders, connected to a larder stocked with preserved foods, a miniature armoury, and a living section. Ultimately each room was little more than a walk-in closet, but there was only so much one could do with 10 square meters of tunnel.

Priority for the Protector was getting young Emily in bed, so after a once-over to ensure there weren't any surprises in the room, he laid her on the mattress and lovingly pulled the covers over her shoulders. There was heating, but the burning oil would become a magnet for Weepers, and the bunker had the unfortunate trait of a single exit and entrance, so they'd have to make do. With his charge sleeping soundly, Corvo had another further inspection of the hideout. As he'd hoped, everything was more or less exactly as he'd left it, besides a thick layer of dust. The armoury was fully stocked, though nothing inside was superior to his current equipment. He did take the liberty of restocking both his pistol and crossbow though. The larder contained nothing appetising at all, but a well-timed rumble sounded within his stomach and he was reminded that since his abandonment in the flooded district, he'd eaten exactly one single Tyvian pear. It would be pretty insulting to have outwitted the entire City-Watch, the Overseers and even an ex-Royal Spymaster, only to lose to some random Weeper because he hadn't eaten for three days. Silently chuckling at the thought, Corvo grabbed a cold ration from the shelf and tore open the bag. The smell alone was enough to make him grimace, but he forced himself to swallow the horrid mixture. After a minute of trying to wash down the rest with a gallon of water, he felt the strength returning to his limbs.

There was little in the bunker for entertainment, and if he was honest with himself he was too exhausted to remain awake. After once more checking the alarm system was topped with whale-oil, he trudged into the living quarters, and all but collapsed onto the mattress adjacent to Emily's. He was half-way to sleep before even hit the cushion.

00000

"_We have both been here before."_

_Corvo opened his eyes. He was back there, where the whole mess began. The gazebo was stained red with her blood._

"_A knife for hire…" She whispered to him. Somehow, the eyes focused on him. She was still lifeless as the void around her, but somehow they did. Her lips twisted and bent to speak._

"…_follows orders" Blood was pooling in her throat, leaking from the corners of her mouth._

"…_find out, he'll be executed"_

"_Why am I so cold…" Her body lay at his feet, a grizzly hole torn through her torso. She was dead, eyes staring blankly through him. They always had been…_

_A hand gently brushed his shoulder. He jolted forward and turned to face its owner. He looked into the depths of the Outsiders black eyes. There was no emotion to be found._

"_Disturbing, is it not? Daud has been experiencing similar dreams for some time now. I wonder, what is next for you Corvo. The Lord Regent is dead. Farley Havelock and the rest of the loyalists are dead or likely soon will be, Emily will soon be Empress of the Isles, and you will be pardoned and restored to your former title. It's all so neat isn't it? No loose ends, except for her." It held a hand out, but didn't gesture towards the corpse. Instead, it pointed to the mists surrounding them._

_Corvo stared at the being in confusion. Jessamine was dead. He'd watched her pass in his arms. All that was left was a skeleton and a heart. Then Corvo put two and two together._

00000

"-Corvoooo… Corvooo…." The voice was gentle and sweet. "Corvoo… wake uuup." The voice cooed. He opened his eyes a fraction, just enough to make out the shape of Emily's face scant inches from his own. She still thought he was asleep. "Well, I tried to be gentle..." He could just about see her smug grin as she reared up, preparing to pounce and, in her own little world, scare the plague out of him. Such medicinal practices were cut short though, when he expertly caught her in mid-air, rising from the mattress and holding her by the waist just so she couldn't reach the ground. She squealed, both in shock at being caught and delights at their antics. This turned to laughter as Corvo began to mercilessly tickle her side as he held her.

"Corvo!" she shrieked "Corvo stop! Put me down!" She tried to stifle her laughter, but it just made the situation all the funnier to him. "Your Empress commands you!" At that, Corvo straightened up, comically standing at attention and cracking off a goofy salute as he lowering the child to the floor. She decided to reciprocate with her own poorly executed salute, looking up at him with a completely serious face before they both broke down in hysterics.

The attempts at laughter left Corvo's throat feeling raw, but the rasped puffs of air were worth the pain at this point. For her part Emily was rolling around for about a minute before finally regaining her composure. "So, what are we gonna do today then?" she asked when she finally dragged herself up from the floor "Is it safe to travel to Dunwall Tower yet?"

Corvo wasn't sure how they'd be received back at the tower. Emily certainly would be welcomed with open arms, but he was still technically wanted for her kidnap and several high profile murders, so it was fifty fifty that they listened to Emily rather than kill him, or worse shoot him before she got the chance to pardon him. That said, they had to get there at some point, and since the Regent was still alive, it had to be soon, before Havelock blamed the Kingsparrow Incident on him as well. After a few seconds of contemplation, Corvo nodded.

They spent the remainder of the hour preparing to leave the hideout. Both wolfed down a heated ration, Emily's face scrunched in disgust the whole time (she later claimed her first act as Empress would be to give the Watch real food). She ate it though, following her guides example, though he didn't look too pleased with the taste either. One benefit of his newfound silence was that Corvo's ability to taste had been massively dulled, but he still had enough of a tongue to know that the rations were universally revolting.

After their hearty meal Corvo went about the business of restocking ammunition and checking equipment for the road ahead. Being so close to Clavering, it wasn't likely that they'd be in danger for long, especially seeing as they only needed to find a watch patrol to get transport back to Dunwall Tower. Unfortunately the inevitable spread of the plague meant that even a trip across the street could be fatal in the less fortunate districts. Often Weepers would congregate around streets held by the Watch, waiting until either their own number rose enough to release a horde on the unfortunate guards, or more commonly just waiting for the plague to wipe out the inhabitants. Such 'Border streets' as they came to be known, were near impossible to pass by land unhindered, and Corvo wasn't going to risk Emily by being gentle with men and women who were basically already dead. For the first time Corvo greatly appreciated the thousands of coins he had paid Piero to modify his pistol.

When they'd finally finished preparing for the final stretch, Corvo deactivated the security systems and crouched into the tunnel exit. The alley the exit opened up to seemed clear of Weepers, and further examination using the effects of Dark Vision confirmed it. Motioning for Emily to follow, he stepped out into the sunshine. The panel was slid back in front of the opening, leaving almost no evidence of the bunkers existence.

As they walked, Emily nervously reached for his hand for comfort. He allowed her to slip into his palm, but didn't risk taking his eyes of the streets in front of and beside them. Both walkers were silent as the void, Corvo's ears pricking at the tiniest of sounds as he searched for the tell-tale moans of approaching infected. They were making good headway before he finally heard them.

Crawling, shuffling and in more than one case dropping towards them, the Weepers advanced. There were easily over fifty of the things, blood leaving trails along the cobblestone street. More were on the rooftops, preventing an easy escape. Despite increasing the pace, the two walkers were quickly surrounded. Emily instinctively drew closer to him when she realised this.

Corvo couldn't fight so many at once. Even using his less conventional abilities, it wouldn't have ended well. He had come prepared for this type of situation though. Emily looked up at him when she felt the tap on her shoulder. Quickly removing the mask, he bared his teeth at her, showing them clenched together, before shaking his head. Then he showed his teeth unclenched, and nodded at her. It took her a few precious seconds to understand, but then she mimicked the second part of his action. Smiling at her briefly, Corvo replaced the mask on his face, and reached one of the metal spheres hanging off his belt. He tossed it into the largest group of Weepers in front of them, before turning his charge away from the scene and covering her ears.

Even with his mask muffling the worst of the explosion, it still felt like someone was banging a bucket over his head. At least five corpses were thrown into the air, crunching into various walls and the rough flooring. The remaining Weepers froze in shock, and closer to the blast several even fell over from the shockwave. A well sized hole had been carved through their ranks, and Corvo wasted no time in hoisting Emily into his grip and charging through whilst their enemies recovered. Several moans and grunts of rage sounded behind them, but there was no way the slow moving victims could catch up to their prey.

Despite the escape, Corvo didn't slow down until they saw the checkpoint for Clavering. Gently lowering Emily, who'd been complaining about her position for some time now, he removed his mask and approached the checkpoint. The people manning it all raised pistols and sabres in his and their Empress's direction. Corvo held up both hands with open palms and hoped the guards wouldn't just fire to try and rob him. Several members of the Lower Watch seemed ready to do just that, but luckily some more senior soldiers were there to reel them in. One of them called out to him, asking who they were and what they were there for. Realising his problem with responding, Emily stepped out from behind him, and replied with a clear voice that somehow demanded respect, despite the inexperience of its speaker.

Despite this though, most of the checkpoint broke down laughing at their claim to being the traitorous assassin and the missing Empress. The look of outrage on Emily's face matched Corvo's own feelings, though he did more to keep it hidden. He was about to hit the lot of them with sleep-darts before a higher ranking officer stepped out through the gate. Corvo sighed with relief.

Geoff Curnow owed him more than one favour, and it was time to pay up.

**A.N: So this was mostly filler/intro. I could just skip to the point where the main story begins, but I figured this part could play quite heavily into it. Plus, I think the relationship between Emily and Corvo needs to be involved, as in some ways it depends upon and affect his and Jessamines.**

**Not much to say. As always please leave a review to help me with future chapters.**


	3. The Captain

**A.N: Just incase someone stupid is reading, yes this chapter is basically flashpoints of Geoff Curnows experiances during the events of the game, and is mostly to justify his actions in the story. So no, there won't be much plot progression here, but it will make the end of the chapter seem a lot more reasonable…hopefully.**

**Sorry for the massive wait by my standards. I've had a really tough time getting motivated to write anything recently (school…) so I've only been adding a couple of hundred words every few days. Plus, I'm currently trying to do filler chapters for two fics; it's not ideal but kinda necessary to pace them well imo.**

**Anyway hope you enjoy. Please as usual I'll ask that you leave a review. While the general plot for this fic is more or less set, I love having options given by you guys in suggestions, and will do my best to work on any criticisms.**

**Chapter 3 – The Captain**

Geoff Curnow, Captain of the City Watch, was currently wandering absently around the Water-lock in Dunwall Tower. It had been a long few months, filled with more political nonsense than a soldier should face in a lifetime, and by the end had proven to be entirely worthless. The plague would continue, more people would die and the Watch would slowly fall under the control of the man with the most money and elixir to spare. Meanwhile the aristocracy would sit on their collective arses doing precisely nothing about the whole thing and leaching the life-blood from the victims. It was almost enough to make an old soldier think of quitting.

He heard the screaming then. It was muffled by the length it must have travelled as well as the echoing steel halls, but it was just about possible to make out a little girl screaming. It stopped abruptly, and was replaced by silence. On a rooftop across from him, Curnow swore he saw a humanoid shape, dressed in what looked like an old industrial suit, on the tiles, but it was gone before his eyes could confirm it.

Minutes later, all of Dunwall went to the void.

00000

He'd known Campbell was a snake, and when dealing with snakes, you had to expect to be bitten. So he wasn't fooled by the false assurances that everything was fine, and as they wandered further from the main halls he found his sword arm slowly reaching for his sheathed blade.

Then he'd gotten stupid. He should have arrested Campbell as soon as he saw the rune left in a display case, and the lingerie scattered across the carpet of the room. But instead he'd bidden his time, and in one moment of foolishness he'd opened himself up to attack.

Curnow's face twisted in horror as he realised he had been to slow. Campbell's blade was falling too quickly, ready to bite into his exposed wrist and cleave through muscle and bone. After that there would be no stopping the corrupt Overseer. Unhelpfully, his mind began to think in abstract. He wondered how Calista would take it. He was the only family she had left after all. Well… she was a strong girl. She'd be fine, probably teach some noble, get married, and get out of this cursed city. She didn't need him anymore.

Campbell's sword came down with all the force the man could muster, and overshot the Captain by several feet. The Overseer fell to the ground with little more than a grunt, the back of his head split open around the wooden shaft buried within it. Sword finally withdrawn from its sheath, Curnow raised it towards the figure that stepped out of the shadows.

00000

Corvo watched as the traitor collapsed his head little more than red mush from the impact. 'I must remember to thank Piero for this equipment' he thought absently. Slightly giddy from the murder, he took a step forward, eager to grab Campbell's black book and get out of the Abbey for good. Unfortunately, he only realised this put him in plain sight as Geoff readied his blade for another attacker. Corvo had seen the man in action on their trip around the isles, fending of more than one petty pirate gang on their way around Serkonas. Though not as good as himself, Curnow kept the long family tradition of a brilliant strategic mind complimented by near flawless skill in combat, both with a blade or a pistol.

Later conversations with the man had also proven the other side of the tradition to be true. Despite their history of military leaders and champions, the Curnow family was relatively poor, due in no small part to their intolerance for politics and those who lived on it. Geoff was no exception, willing to get to know his men no matter their backgrounds, and quick to lose patience with the potentially wealthy backers who wanted them in their pockets. A sentiment Corvo believed should be more common in the average citizen.

It was both this and his promise to Calista, though he barely knew the girl, which spared the unlucky Captains life.

00000

Curnow and the intruder were locked in stalemate for almost a minute. Finally, the Watchman warily began lowering his blade, keeping the point facing the masked man until the last possible moment. Now the blade was still between the two, but not raised in threat. Curnow sighed with relief when the stranger didn't react. "I suppose I should thank you." He said, though it wasn't a question "That blade would've cut right through me." The man tilted his head, though any emotion was hidden behind the alloy faceplate covering him. Curnow pressed on "Technically, I should arrest you for murder, but considering the circumstances, I'm willing to overlook that transgression. But if I ever see you again, one of us won't be walking away." The man remained still, statue-like in the corner. It took Geoff a few seconds to realise that while the assassin may be unwilling to kill him, he wasn't stupid enough to turn his back to the guardsman. Sighing, he walked out of the room and up towards the main hall, stopping only to collect the men he'd left to the Overseers teaching. They were all glad to be away from the abbey as soon as possible.

00000

_6 weeks later_

Since the murder of the High Overseer, Curnow's job had been steadily becoming more and more difficult. A series of murders and disappearances had sprouted up around the city, prompting a massive increase in both guard deployments by the Lord Regent, and also a string of investigations to solve the crimes. The prime suspect was an unknown individual who had been quickly nicknamed "The Masked Felon" by citizens, after the trademark full-facemask he wore whenever he was spotted.

Curnow neglected to tell his superiors of how he'd already met the man in the secret room in the Abbey of the Everyman. In fact he hadn't told them anything aside from "We met, had a drink, and I left." The body hadn't been found for two days, and with the men outside no-one could tell for sure who the culprit was, so for the moment he was still in a job.

The latest crime was at the Boyle residence. One of the sisters, Lydia or Esma maybe, had upped-sticks and left without the other two knowing, so naturally the other two decided to call half the Watch down to their district to find the damned woman. As a Captain, Geoff was one of the few guardsmen actually allowed into the Boyle residence, which he decided was laughably ironic, considering the numbers they'd pulled in from around the city. It was an unforgivable waste of resources, but the Boyles were well connected, better than any others, with the Lord Regent. Indeed they made it a point to remind him every few minutes that most of the funding for the Watch came from their pockets. So unfortunately, a lot of innocents on the outskirts of Clavering were going to be dealing with Weeper's alone tonight.

Most of the food and drink had been left after the party was called off, so he took the chance to sample as much of the fine foods and alcohols as he was able, and stash more away in his great-coat. He was quickly chugging down a glass of cider from the fountain when a sergeant charged into the room. Knowing the man had almost certainly been nicking as much as him, likely more so, Curnow didn't bother pretending to be embarrassed or hiding the drink.

"Sir!" The man approached as he spoke, red-in-the face from apparently running around the house in heavy plate armour. "Sir. You've gotta see this!" He held a fancy looking book in his hands. Knowing it was a rarity for the average Watchman to even be able to read, much less care about something found in a book, Curnow decided to look over the man forgetting just quite who he was talking to. Taking the book, he looked over the pages of what looked like a ledger or list book. Most of it was handwritten, and the book itself was incomplete.

At the top of the most recent page-entry in fancy lettering was written 'Party Guest List'. Curnow quickly scanned over the names, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. "What is this sergeant?" he asked, glancing over at the man with a questioning glance.

"Fourth from bottom sir." The man replied, now standing more or less at attention. Curnow looked back at the page, finger trawling over the names. "Let's see. Lord Ramsey, Lord Brisby, Mr Pratchett, Cor…" The glass in his free-hand hit the floor with a crash, spilling the beverage all over the ground. Of course, most of the guard had theories surrounding Corvo's recent escape and the conveniently timed emergence of the 'Masked Felon', they'd had no conclusive proof that the two events were even related. There were no doubts as to the legitimacy of the signature. There was simply too much for this to be a coincidence; not to mention that Geoff even recognised the signature. He'd glimpsed it as the man had written a letter to the Empress all those months ago, before they'd made land at Serkonas, and again at Tyvia. There was a strangely added line cutting diagonally along the name, as if the man had crossed it out, the same line that was present here.

And if Corvo was willing to mock them by signing his name so obviously, something big was about to happen.

"What was that sound!?" One of the Boyle women, Waverly if he remembered right, called marching in, hands on hips. "Have you found something my sister yet?!"

The sergeant shared a glance, before Geoff turned back to the girl. "Miss, ah _Lady_ Boyle. I'm afraid you almost certainly will not be seeing your sister ever again. Fourth from bottom…" He handed her the guest book.

The confused scowl on her face quickly transformed into shock as she saw the entry. A sharp sobbing gasp escaped her lips even as she brought a hand to cover her mouth. At that moment, she looked pitiful, sorrowful, angry and disbelieving all at the same time. And despite what he thought of her as a person, Curnow couldn't help but sympathise. His brother had been close to him as well.

Even as the men continued the search for evidence, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was of about the whole thing. Corvo should have been out for blood. He'd been rightfully imprisoned for the late Empresses murder, but the bastard sure wouldn't have seen it that way himself. It would be reasonable to assume he was targeting the people responsible for his incarceration or affiliated to those people, especially after the murder of Campbell. It was a poorly kept secret that the Boyles did much to support the Regent, though no-one but the man himself knew how much, so killing them off made sense there as well. So why, after searching the entire area, was there no sign of a body, scuffle or even a blood drop. Which meant either Corvo had successfully managed to persuade the woman to leave the whole district before killing her, or more likely had simply not killed her at all.

Why would he spare the life of one of his most powerful enemies biggest supporters?

Thinking about this brought another thought to mind. Back in the Abbey, Corvo had saved his life. There was no chance of survival until the crossbow bolt struck Campbell down, and even after Corvo could easily have killed him to silence a potential witness. To be honest, Corvo had no reason to let him go, and plenty to kill him off. But he hadn't.

A cold shiver ran through Geoff's spine. He owed his life to a wanted regicidal assassin…

Would that debt keep him from doing his job if he got the chance?

00000

_Present Day_

"_Corvo_." Curnow almost snarled the name out when he saw the man approaching the checkpoint. He was talking more to himself though, so the other guardsmen remained oblivious to the danger. The assassin wasn't wearing the signature mask he'd seen the last time the two had met, but Geoff had a long memory, and several months alongside the man as an envoy across the isles meant he knew Corvo's face better than most others.

Corvo stopped in his tracks as the Captain said this, looking sharply upwards. It was almost unnerving how he picked up even the slightest whispers where others heard only silence. His eyes widened almost undetectably in surprise, but the chink was quickly hidden under a layer of steady determination and in seconds he even seemed happy to see the man. He resumed his march to the checkpoint.

Curnow's pistol rose to join his men's, aimed at the traitorous bastard he'd been naïve enough to call friend, if only for a time. Corvo never stopped moving for a second, somehow still managing to look both dangerous and non-threatening despite the arsenal he visibly carried, and the increasing proximity to the guards.

It almost got to the point where Curnow ordered his men to fire. As the bodyguard came within ten meters of the checkpoint Curnow's lips were already twisting to form the order, and his finger clenching onto the trigger, when he caught sight of the little girl, not even at puberty, trailing a few meters behind the target. As a Captain of the city watch, he'd been invited to one or two of the upper echelons many parties, and on one such occasion, he'd had the privilege of meeting the late Empress. So when he lowered his pistol and saluted, it was certain and without hesitation. Behind the assassin walked Lady Emily, or really Empress Emily. She showed no signs of coercion or mistreatment other than very dirty clothes, as could be expected from someone who'd been missing for six months. Indeed, she seemed more afraid of the armed Watchmen standing between her and the safety of Clavering.

Corvo may have been a man wanted dead by half of Dunwall, but he'd returned with a missing Empress, who appeared willing to follow him towards armed dangerous looking men. She hadn't screamed for them to free her, and he'd made no hostile move against them. That (plus the inconvenient location of Emily behind her protector) was enough for him to stand down. His men followed his example, several militant lower guards visibly sulking at the unspoken order.

"My Lady Emily. Corvo. I apologise for my men's behaviour. You must understand that the situation is both unlikely and hard to believe." Geoff decided that was enough of an explanation. While he was well versed in political language, he didn't care for it and correctly assumed Emily shared his beliefs. Corvo seemed a little taken aback by the brief excuse, but saw what was happening and settled again.

It took Emily a couple of seconds to realise it was her que to speak. "Oh umm… yes it's okay mister. You can make it up to us on the way back to Dunwall Tower." She looked a little pleased at that. Geoff raised an inquisitive eyebrow, but thought better of questioning his future (technically current he reminded himself) boss and liege. Nodding, he spoke again "Of course my Lady. Would you like me to arrange an escort now?"

"Yes that would be fine." She replied, some more authority entering her voice again as she got began to accustom herself to her newfound role. "As fast as you're able if you would." The Captain nodded before issuing a series of orders that went over her head. By the end, she, Corvo and Curnow were surrounded by a group of more senior guardsmen, while the lower ranking ones settled back into their positions at the checkpoint, grumbling the whole way.

As they began to head off Geoff leaned over and whispered in Corvo's ear "I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt for now, and only cause you brought Emily, but you'd better have a damned good reason for me not to have shot you there and then. Who knows, could still happen now." Corvo nodded in answer, but before a slightly reassured Captain could turn back to the road ahead, he was handed a worn book and several audiograph records. "What're these?" he asked, flicking through the pages. Corvo merely sighed in exasperation before pointing at the mess that was the inside of his mouth. Curnow grimaced at the sight but looked slightly apologetic as he turned back to the book in his hands. His eyes widened in realisation as he realised what he was reading. "This is the regent's…" Corvo nodded once. As they walked on the Captain continued to read the many articles detailing the events of the last few months. A range of expressions appeared on his face, but most common was anger, with betrayal coming in at a close second.

Finally he turned back to Corvo "Slimy bastard, and no-one would've known. You realise, even if this is true, no one will accept it over his word. Journals can be forged pretty easily, and Emily's too young to be taken seriously by the nobility." Corvo nodded his head in agreement, but then pointed to the audiograph tapes still in Curnow's hand. Following his gaze, the Captain allowed a slight smile to grace his features. "Yeah, I guess that'd do it." Both realised that voices are harder to copy.

Corvo's attention was momentarily drawn away when his sleeve was assaulted by a sharp tug. Emily gazed up almost expectantly at him, the puppy eyes working overtime for something. "Corvo, are we going home now?" she asked in that sweet little voice she reserved for when she really wanted something.

He grinned, conveying by eyes alone that he knew exactly what she was up to. Her own expression didn't even waver; he'd taught her that much very well. He nodded once, and, with theatrical drama, she yawned, swinging her arms like a slow windmill for added effect. "That's good. Mmmm, I'm really tired now. Mr guard?" she asked, looking very deliberately at Curnow, who to his credit, managed to make the sourest look possible while still remaining completely emotionless. "Can you carry me the rest of the way. I think Corvo's a bit tired of it by now!"

Several of the lower ranked soldiers laughed out loud. Curnow sighed deeply before turning to the young Empress and lifting her onto his shoulder. Even Corvo had trouble keeping a straight face at the sight of the little girl sitting on the grizzled warriors shoulders. When no one was looking but her, he gave a quick wink. She stuck out her tongue in retaliation before falling into a bout of giggles, her carrier muttering under his breath the whole time

**A.N: So yeah as I said this is another filler chapter to bridge the gap between Kingsparrow and the main plot. Hopefully the next chapter should be the last introductory one and we can get on with the main story. **

**Sorry for any mistakes made in this chapter. I spent ages on it but overall it feels like I've made it really disconnected. Any ideas are welcome.**

**As always, please leave a review for the usual reasons. Hope you enjoyed and will see you in the next chapter.**


	4. New Age Rising

**A.N: Guys I am soooo sorry for taking over a month to update. I swear, There was a whole month where I just couldn't bring myself to write more than 100 words a day, and then there was a one-shot and I had to update my main fic and redo the first chapter… I've been busy okay.**

CH4 – New Age Rising

Corvo, Emily, Curnow and their Watch escort were crammed onto a small patrol boat, bobbing gently at the bottom of Dunwall Tower's grand Water-lock. They should've been at the top by now, but it seemed corruption ran deeper in the Watch than Corvo thought. Not even the Royal Guard were clean, though he should have guessed that when they left their Empress practically unguarded in her time of need. The scrounging waste of a gate operator was less surprising however. "Who's down there?" he called, for the fifth time.

Curnow was losing his temper by now "For the last bloody time Marco it's Curnow! I've got a sack of coins here so quit the begging and LET, US, UP!" There was a pause as they awaited his reply, or the mechanical clunking of the locks mechanisms. Eventually, Marco leant back over the side of the lock.

"Nah, I've got better things to do today. Hahaha" The cackling became almost maniacal for a second, before the hateful man disappeared away from the edge, muttering to himself as he did so. Curnow looked desperately at Corvo before addressing Emily, who was looking very sorry for herself in the crowded vessel. "I'm sorry my lady. The operators aren't usually this 'fussy'." The way he said the last word made it quite clear to everyone including the young Empress just what he thought of the man. Emily just crossed her arms over her chest and looked very cross at the world in reply.

Seeing that they weren't getting up with help, Corvo wordlessly stepped up to the edge of the craft. Both Curnow and another Guardsman reached out to grab him, but he dropped too quickly. Emily was used to this sort of behaviour by now, but even she looked a little surprised, especially when he failed to resurface for a full minute. When Corvo did eventually rise, he was at the far end of the lock, climbing onto one of the many pipes and outcrops of machinery used in the lock.

It was fortunate that most of the maintenance passages in the mechanism were internal, as the lock was impossible to climb naturally, but the lack of exposure allowed Corvo to use Blink to reach the harder spots. Eventually, he was pulling himself over the safety rails at the top of the lock. In the corner he saw the operator drinking himself into a stupor; certainly too preoccupied to notice him. Corvo was pissed though, so he knocked the man out with a swift right hook to the temple regardless.

The console used to pour the water in was actually remarkably simple to use, and soon water was pumping down by the gallons, quickly filling the chamber up to the exit. Curnow and a couple of the more respectful watchmen nodded as they got out. Corvo reached out a hand to pull Emily across the gap between the boat and the platform, which she took gratefully.

When everyone was out of the boat, the guards formed up around the three, before marching out, leaving just enough room for Emily to be seen by any passing personnel. They'd made it to the bridge when they were held up again, this time by two tallboys and a couple of officers. One of the officers spoke first "Halt. State your business here." He asked, obviously assuming the operator had legitimately let them in.

Curnow was the first to speak up "We need to see General Tobias, and have someone prepare the Royal Chambers. I doubt the new resident will appreciate how plain it is." The officer clearly thought the man was joking, but didn't know whether to laugh or tell them to bugger off, leaving him looking rather silly as he tried to arrange his thoughts. Then he noticed Emily, who had done quite well to look somehow prominent yet small at the same time. A glimmer of recognition passed through his eyes "Is that-?" he asked but was answered "Yes, the Empress." by Curnow before he could finish.

The officer looked shocked for a moment before practically head-butting the floor with an incredibly low bow. Emily just looked incredulously at him for a second before remembering she had to dismiss him. "Umm…that's alright sir…um… you can rise now." To his credit, the guard followed orders very well. The echo of a snicker could be heard from one of the Tall-boys.

00000

"…_I will be seen as the hero and protector."_

General Tobias looked from the audiograph player to the two men sitting across his desk. One looked uncomfortable and in a mild state of shock, whilst the other merely stared right back coldly. The general barely repressed the gulp that unwillingly began to form, realising too late he was in a small room with possibly the best swordfighter on the isles between him and the door. Curnow was the first to speak "Guess you were telling the truth then. It does make sense sir. I mean, the Regent's confession doesn't disprove Corvo's involvement in Empress Jessamine's assassination, but considering this new evidence and the fact that he's returned Lady Emily I'd say he's more than likely innocent."

"Be that as it may, there was no-one else at the scene. Who else could've done it?" The General countered. Curnow thought for a second. It was true, no-one but Corvo had been found at the scene and there was no way to escape the gazebo without guards seeing you.

Then Booker placed an object on the table. It was slightly bigger than a man's fist, and roughly circular. Taking a closer look he saw it was a chunk of whale bone with a strange marking in the centre of it; a rune.

"By the Outsider! What are you doing with that!?" the General yelled, reaching to draw his blade. Curnow for now stayed his hand. He'd doubted Attano earlier, and so far it looked like he'd been wrong to do so. He'd at least wait till Corvo gave a reason. Taking a quill from the desk, Corvo wrote calmly of a scrap of paper he'd pulled from his pocket. On it, he wrote one word: _Whalers_.

Corvo's two companions looked at him oddly for a minute "What about Whalers? It's a job. What does that have to do with you putting a bloody Rune on my desk!?" Tobias asked, sword still pointed at the ex-Lord Protector. Corvo rolled his eyes in repose before writing in scrawling handwriting: _Assassins. Powers from Outsider. They killed her. _Both men noticed how he slowed down and looked noticeably upset writing that last sentence.

Tobias turned to Curnow "Do you know anything about these…Whalers?" Curnow shook his head in response.

"No, not specifically" he said, before lighting up with a look of revelation "But… when I was sent to visit the High Overseer a few weeks ago I overheard a couple talking about plans to deal with a group of cut-throats. Apparently the Overseers believed them to have been possessed by the Outsider or some such nonsense."

Corvo nodded at the first part, but shrugged at the end. Both men were able to work out he meant "Yes" or "Close enough". Curnow suddenly remembered something else "Wait, did these Whalers wear…industrial suits and gasmasks?" Corvo nodded. "Oh shit!"

"What?" Tobias asked, sounding slightly concerned.

"The day the Empress was murdered, I um…saw someone…on the roof opposite the Water-lock. The person wore an industrial suit and a gasmask, like the kind they used to use in the flooded district. I was going to call it in when he disappeared. I thought it was my mind playing tricks at the time. Now we know better though…" he trailed off, staring at the journal now resting on the desk with deep regret in his eyes.

Tobias spared the man a glance before turning to look at Corvo again. He stared at the man's face for a few moments, clearly inspecting for any signs of dishonesty. Corvo's own indifferent gaze revealed nothing, but that could be taken either way. Finally, Tobias sheathed his blade. "Get that thing out of my office." He said, pointing at the rune. "You're under house arrest, and are forbidden from contact with anyone outside of the watch until Lady Emily can verify your story. Assuming you're cleared, you'll receive a pardon and can return to whatever duties her highness has tasked you with. Am I clear?" he asked.

Corvo merely nodded in response, before rising from his seat to leave. Curnow, eager to get away from the whole affair, also rose, but was stopped by a hand signal from the General. "Stay here Captain. I'll need to get a more detailed debriefing before you leave." Only Corvo heard the barely audible sigh escaping the man's lips, but hid his amusement under uncaring mask he employed so often when dealing with officers. Neither the Captain nor the General noticed.

"Now Corvo, get out of my office."

00000

It had been three months since their return to Dunwall Tower. Emily's claim for sovereignty had found little resistance among the ruling echelons of Gristol society, though token efforts were to be expected. Mostly the dissidents were ambitious nobles hoping to use the latest power vacuum to advance their own status, and were put back in their place through a mixture of bribes, threats promises.

Ultimately the biggest opposition came from Havelock, just as Corvo had suspected all along. With the evidence of the journal, the audiograph recordings and testimonies from both Emily and Calista, Havelock hadn't stood a chance in court, even with the reputed lawyer he hired to get him out. However, while he was imprisoned his supporters – many and influential men and women – were calling for not only his immediate release but also reappointment as Lord Regent! That particular request stopped quickly enough though when Farley was discovered hanging in his cell, but even Corvo begrudgingly agreed that it raised an important point. Emily was too young to take complete control over the Empires affairs, resulting in the appointment of a _temporary _Lord Regent, one Alfred Tevona.

The new regent had managed his position well…at first. Money was devoted away from the more corrupt individuals in court and to where it mattered. The funding diverted to the Acadamy and particularly Anton Sokolov and Piero Joplins efforts for a cure to the Rat Plague were prime examples. However, the transfer in currency away from the nobility was an unpopular decision amongst the upper echelons, and that showed in the many messages from so and so's Lord's and Lady's.

Serkonan assassins had even managed to sneak up the Water-lock at one point, but Corvo's experiences during the interregnum gave him the unique outlook of one who had been on the other end of the divide. The crawlspaces, pipes, blind spots and cover he'd used during his last visit were covered by the new reforms to the guard – changes instigated by Corvo - or they were blocked off entirely. The assassins were caught attempting to clear the open bridge between the lock and the courtyard. Unfortunately they all died before they could be interrogated, so the buyer and the target remained a mystery. The only thing known for sure was that they definitely weren't Whalers, which was a relief for Corvo.

Speaking of Corvo, he'd been reappointed as Lord Protector two weeks after their arrival at the Tower. Emily firmly denied his involvement in the events those months ago and even went as far as threatening the more intrusive officers with imprisonment. She didn't actually have the power yet to act on those threats but even the most oblivious of the ones subjected to them took the hint. Corvo was pardoned of all crimes and resumed his role as Lord Protector to his young Empress within days.

Time passed quickly for the first couple of years. The continuing presence of Serkonan and Tyvian blockading fleets meant the economy remained locked in a crisis, with the gap between lord and commoner growing larger by the day. Those who survived the rats still had to contend with hunger, each other or worse yet the Watch as they tried to stay alive. At one point there were even rumours that Morley was preparing for another revolution, but these proved to be just talk between drunken sailors.

Then everything, quite suddenly, changed for the better. Piero and Sokolov, after almost two years of constant effort, finally developed a permanent cure and vaccinations against the Rat Plague. It couldn't save those who'd already degraded to enough to become Weepers, but for healthy men and women the risk of infection was reduced to zero.

With the cure came another important change. The Watch finally caught the break it had needed for over a year. In just a few short days the immunised guardsmen regained control of the areas surrounding Clavering Blvd, Kaldwin Bridge and several other so-called "safe zones". Weepers were pushed out of the condemned buildings and back toward the Flooded District. Rats were culled by the hundreds thanks to the invulnerability granted to the Tall-Boys, with those clever enough to dig into houses and other structures being literally burned out. The Month of Winds was replaced with the "Month of Fire" that year, as the sky was always tinged orange from the distant flames. It was all worth it in the end though. From the ashes of Dunwall rose a chance to renew, and Emily and the Lord Regent were both keen to capitalise on the fresh start.

The "Golden Age" as it would eventually be known by the Empire began four years after the interregnum with Lady Emily timely coronation. Tervona stepped down with no resistance, telling his mistress that he "hoped she didn't mind him keeping the seat warm." He was richly rewarded for his service. Emily herself proved to be a passionate yet also pragmatic empress, doing her best to help each and every one of her people while understanding that even with their fresh slate some would have to sacrifice for the good of the rest. Even so, the gap between rich and poor was smaller than it had been since before the plague, and new infrastructure, trade relations and public services were being created daily. Corvo was proud to have served (and in his own opinion partially raised) his empress, and protected her from harm just as he always had.

But even Corvo admitted that his role was more for show now than it was for any practical reason. The Empress was even more popular than her mother had been, and her security was covered by never less than twenty men, all handpicked by Generals Tobias and now Curnow, before being trialled against the Lord Protector himself. None had beaten him yet, but even using his less overt powers as well as his natural ability and training Corvo had great difficulty sparring with even one of them. They were certainly the best trained soldiers in Gristol, perhaps even the Isles, and each had been checked a dozen times each to ensure total loyalty to their empress.

Then there was the new Watch. At both Corvo and Curnow's request, the Lower Watch had been more or less dissolved; its members either joined the regular guards or were left to join any number of openings in the many companies taking advantage of the booming economy. Ultimately it left the Watch a smaller but more effective force, and one that actually stood a chance of helping the city rather than exasperating the problems it faced.

In this new environment, Corvo found himself with more and more time on his hands. Idleness makes for poor entertainment, and unfortunately for the Protector, a certain god found itself a little disappointed at the performance. And if there was one thing the Outsider hated, it was being disappointed.

**A.N: AHHHhhhhhh… chapter done **** Don't know how you guy's will take the massive time gap and cheesy cliffhanger, but at this point I need to upload something or I think I'll die inside. I think I did okay, but it's up to you lot to decide really.**

**Please review and I'll see you in the next chapter (hopefully in less than a month)!**


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